OPINION
Manuel Pellegrini will have the final say on the future of Marko Arnautovic in the summer and should make the right call and keep him at the club ahead of the new Premier League season.
West Ham vice-chairman Karren Brady has stated that it will be the Hammers manager who has the final say on the future of any player at the club, and made no promises regarding the 30-year forward.
“It’s the same with every player, their future at the club is determined by the manager.” said Brady to Sky Sports.
“If he decides that he wants him (Arnie) at the club, and wants to offer him a new contract like he did a few months ago, then that’s what happens.”
“If he decides that he wants a player to leave, then that’s what happens.”
It seems that whatever the Hammers boss wants to do in the summer, he will end up doing no matter the repercussions, however it’s clear selling Arnautovic should not be the final decision being made.
The 30-year old has been involved in 14 goals this season in the Premier League, scoring ten and assisting four, and is one of West Ham’s most dangerous attacking threats.
For this reason alone, Pellegrini should not be looking to sell the £100,000-per week man (Source: Spotrac), unless there was already a reasonable replacement for him in place.
It seems like the future of the Hammers forward is in the hands of his manager, and it has become clear over the last season that he must aim to keep Arnautovic next season, and allow him to keep on scoring goals in a claret and blue shirt.
There isn’t another player like him at the club, and although there are a number of other strikers who could step in and play in his position, they would no doubt be much less effective.
Whatever the final decision is come the end of the summer regarding the Austrian international, it seems that the board will back the decision, even if it were to sell the 30-year old to another club before the start of the Premier League next season.
